//------------------------------// // [SoL] Chapter 8: A Dragon's Day Off // Story: Achieving Divinity: Dragon's Deception // by The Joeker //------------------------------// ;3 weeks later; I lay in the midday sun by Ponyville's public pool on a 'deck chair' as I learned they were called, I had a pair of sunglasses on that I borrowed from Rainbow Dash. I was thinking to myself. 'Ah hell... This isn't me...' But I had no choice. The Black Ring had practically vanished, there were no leads. "Enjoying your time off?" Came the familiar voice of Princess Luna... I opened my eyes and put my sunglasses on my forehead. I saw the two sister's smiling upside down faces above me... So beauti- No! Damnit! Ponies! Not people! Wake up Ty! "Not so much." I said, swinging around so I was sitting on the side of my chair. "Why not?" Asked Princess Celestia, looking confused. "I just don't like being inactive. I like to be doing something. Which reminds me..." I said and went behind them both, suddenly I pushed Sunny Side up forward into the pool and Creature pushed Princess Luna. They both screamed in part joy, part surprise as they fell in. "What... The hay?" Spluttered Princess Luna with a smile. "I think we can call that... Payback." I smiled and high fived/hoofed Creature. I went to walk away before I noticed my hands weren't moving with my body... "Huh...?" I asked before I saw the blue hue of Princess Luna's magic on my left hand and the golden aura of Princess Celestia's on my right... "Dipping pig scrotum herders." I said before they dragged me in as well. We laughed and splashed around a little, we stopped for a second and I saw both Princesses with bright smiles... Their manes were not ethereal anymore but were wet and clinging to their necks... They looked... No! Ahem! Damnit! Stop! When we stopped, the Princesses shook their manes out, allowing them to become Ethereal again. As they shook their heads and their manes flowed, I couldn't help but think they were beautiful... No! No thoughts like that you imbecile! "Holy..." I started without thinking... "What?" Asked Princess Celestia with a puzzled expression. "Is something the matter?" Asked Princess Luna. "I just..." I said, I was lost for words... First time for everything huh? "Why sister, I do believe this stallion is fixed on thine beauty." Said Princess Luna, they both started to slowly swim over to me... Was this actually happening? "Nonsense dear sister, I do believe his is captivated by your stunning looks." Countered Princess Celestia, what the actual fuck was going on?! I managed to snap myself out of whatever it was that just happened... "Ahem, so what brings you two here, I doubt you're here on a social visit?" I asked, climbing out the pool and helping them both out. As I did they were both n extremely close proximity to me, I could feel their breath... No! The fuck are you doing Dragon Mind!? I backed up a little. "Well, why not?" Asked Princess Celestia, shaking their fur out... It seemed like they were doing it on purpose... Oh Divine, they looked amazing- No! No mushy shit Ty! Stop it dammit! "Well, you're both busy ruling a kingdom, you should be asleep right now Princess Luna." I pointed out. "Fair enough. Yes, we are here on business. Because we have a lead on this supposed 'Black Ring' of yours." She said, I perked up at that... "Really!?" I asked. "We think. But then again it could be the Zebricans trying to manipulate us for their own ends..." Mumbled Princess Luna. "Zebricans? You mean Zebras?" I said. "Yes. They are not a manipulative society, but we have to be weary all the same." Replied Princess Celestia. "Why? What is happening over there?" I asked. "We do not rightly know. He demanded to speak to you personally." Shrugged Princess Luna. "Who?" I asked. "The Zebra Ambassador." She said. "Very well, I will meet him at the Castle." I nodded. "Of course. We depart soon." Smiled Princess Luna. "Cool." I nodded, they both walked away... I caught myself staring at them leaving for longer then I'd have liked... I was confused... Sure, they were nice enough I suppose... But the attraction I felt didn't feel real... It felt merely about appearance rather than personality... I did like their personalities, but that's not what I felt right now... I looked over to my deck chair and saw the Claw of Abraxas out of its sheath on the deck chair. "What the..." I asked, going over to it... It was glowing... "How did you get out of your sheath?" I asked. The Princesses weren't acting hostile toward me, nor were they interested in the sword, which is strange... "What are you up to...?" I asked it... Not expecting, nor receiving a response of course. "Who?" Asked Applejack, walking over. "Oh no one." I shrugged, putting the sword down. "Ok then... Come on. Twi told me to tell ya, the Zebra Ambassador is here. At Sugarcube Corner" Said Applejack. "Let's go. Creature, hustle!" I said, I saw him staring at Applejack as she walked away. "Master... Have you ever noticed how curvy Applejack's flanks are...?" He asked. "The fuck are you on?" I asked. Sheathing my sword and using it's strap, putting it on my shoulder. "Sorry Master... I don't know what I was saying..." He shook his head. "That seems to happening a lot lately..." I said. First me with the Princesses and now Creature with Applejack... "Well? What're ya waitin' fer boys? Come on!" Exclaimed Applejack. We caught up with her. We went to Sugarcube Corner and looked in the window, I saw a Zebra sitting there... He had a scroll as his butt tattoo. I know it's called a Cutie Mark, but it's funny seeing their reaction when you refer to it as such. The Princesses were sitting outside, eating some muffins. "He is inside. He wishes to talk alone." Said Princess Celestia, taking a bite out of a double chocolate muffin. I saw a carriage outside the building. Two Pegasus guards standing attached to it. They had very exotic clothing on... Creature and I went inside and took a seat at his table. "Ah! You must be Sir Draconis! I wasn't aware we would be entertaining company..." He said. "This is Creature. Wherever I go, he goes with me." I explained. "Very well, pleased to meet you both!" He exclaimed, extending a hoof.... "Likewise..." I replied carefully. Shaking his hoof with a firm grip. Creature did the same with his own hoof. "I can see you don't trust me. That's good. You need that instinct." He stated. "I know." I replied. Did he think I was new to this? Boy is he in for a surprise... "Hey guys! What can I getcha?" Asked Pinkie. "A blueberry muffin please Mrs. Pie." I answered. "I've told you like a gazillion times! It's Pinkie!" She exclaimed. "And I've told you 'a gazillion' times, until you let me pay for my food, I will call you Mrs. Pie." I replied. "And I have told YOU a bazillion times that until my life debt is repaid, you are paying for nothing! The Cakes agree. They don't want you paying and neither do I!" She put her hoof down. "As you wish Mrs. Pie." I shrugged. She cried out in frustration. "You're impossible!" She exclaimed. "Looks who's talking. Now please take the Ambassador's order." I smirked. "I will try this new 'brandy flavoured muffin' please." Smiled the Ambassador. "Ok dokie pokie!" She exclaimed. "And I will have an apple muffin." Ordered Creature. "Cool choices!" She exclaimed and bounced off happily. No, really, she bounced, you could hear it. "So... To business. Celestia and Luna sent missives out to all countries to be on the lookout for floating islands. Said they were dangerous and not to tackle with them. Well, our Prime Minister is very prideful. He sent our soldiers up there. They never returned." He said gravely. "I would prefer you to refer to the Princesses by their titles and treat them with the respect due their position whilst in my presence." I said. "...Of course." He nodded with hesitation as our food arrived. "So, you have a black ring problem?" I asked. "Yes." He answered. "Have you tried cream? It isn't quick working but it does do the trick, I find." I said. "What? Are we on the same topic? We are talking about your particular talents?" He asked. "Are you referring to my ability to juggle small rodents to extremely fast paced carnival music while Creature plays the violin quicker than the eye can see?" I asked. "Er..." He started. "Or my awesome accordion skills?" I asked. "I don't..." He mumbled. "Just kidding. Continue." I laughed, Pinkie put the muffins down and her, Creature and myself fist/hoofbumped at pulling a joke on the Ambassador. "Yes... Well, we are told you are the expert on this particular problem..." He said. Taking a bite before his face scrunched up and he burst out coughing and pulled a funny face. "Problem?" I asked with a knowing smile. "This is good, but the brandy is overpowering..." He wheezed. Pinkie and I high hoofed/fived with a laugh again. "Sorry, every 5th brandy muffin has a lot more brandy in it than others! It's so fun watching ponies faces scrunch up!" She laughed and I joined in. "Don't worry, we provide a free one for every overpowering one!" She smiled brightly. "Ah... Happy coincidences..." I smiled at her. "Indeed." Said the Ambassador as his new muffin arrived. "So, what do you require of me?" I asked. "Well, these Black Ring told us that if we do not wish to be obliterated, we should join them. We have a bad feeling about them, we think they'd just enslave us if we did join them." He explained. "So, you need my help?" I asked. "Correct. You do have a few months to think about it if needs be. The Black Ring have given our leaders a few months to consider their offer. We think they are planning something for them to give us that long however. We would prefer you to make a decision within this month if that is possible." He requested. "I'll see. What would be my objectives?" I asked. "Infiltrate their Fortresses. Destroy them before they destroy us. And If possible, rescue our Guard Captain, Gray Grapes." He explained as we finished. "I'll think on it." I told him. "If you agree, the reward will be beyond your wildest dreams." He said. "Even better than getting into a fight with a Flying Fortress with my bare hands and winning?!" I asked. "Err... I hope so?" He asked. "Again, just kidding. If I do decide to help I require no reward." I said, getting up. "Well, it was an absolute pleasure Sir Draconis. We look forward to hearing your decision." He said, bowing to me and leaving. As he did he passed the Princesses in the doorway, he turned to them then glanced at me, I raised an eyebrow. "Your Majesties." He bowed to them, I smiled my approval. They walked over to me, looking back at the Ambassador taking flight on the carriage as they did. "That was strange. He usually doesn't bow to us, he shows us the minimum of respect required... The Prime Minister is nice enough, but he chooses his Ambassadors from the nobility." Explained Princess Luna. "I don't think he wishes to annoy me. When he called you both merely by name I requested him to call you by your rightful titles and treat you with respect befitting your position." "Thank you Sir Draconis." Said Princess Luna in surprise. "Indeed... We wanted to ask you... Have you truly forgiven us for what we did...? I mean, we- I almost killed you..." Said Princess Celestia, shivering at the memory. They told me before they left Ponyville, they confided in me that have never killed a being before in their lives and Princess Celestia didn't even mean to go that far on me at first... That she only meant to teach me a lesson, a lesson I didn't need she added. I have an idea that my sword was unsheathed in the Throne Room, and fueled Princess Celestia's anger, causing her to even enjoy the fact she was hurting me. But she definitely meant to go that far on me after she first started. Maybe not before she started crushing me, but after, even without the sword's influence she would have went that far. But I would've upset her if I told her that, so I didn't. "Worry not. You are forgiven." I said. I saw my 5 other friends also walk in and sit down at our table. "I have been wondering Sir Draconis... What was the first time you killed like?" Asked Princess Luna. "Huh?" I asked. "I wish to know." She said. The others all listened intently... Fine, they wanted it, they'd get it. "The first time I killed... It was a thrill I'll never forget. But one of Drace Reynfaire's many mistakes... Wrong place, wrong time... I also remembered the reason I killed... No excuse of course." I said... Beginning my story. ;31/4 years ago; "Recruit Reynfaire! Come over here!" Called the drill instructor during a jog. "Sir?" Asked Drace, jogging over to him and panting. "I... Have something to tell you. Come with me." He said, he took me into his office and shut the door. "What is this about sir?" Asked Drace. "We think it's about time you found out the truth..." He said, taking a seat behind his desk. "The truth? Sir?" Quizzed Drace. "Sit down son." He said, I did. "It's about your parents..." He started. "What about them?" Wondered Drace. "They... We told you they were great warriors... Yes, they were Paladins." He said. "Were, sir?" "Yes. They retired once they realised they had you." He said. "But... The Academy told me they were still fighting, that they never had time to raise me and so gave me to the Academy..." Said Drace. "Well... Not quite. When they retired, they moved to the Rivertown Gorge. They died when the Demons attacked their settlement. They hid you away. A passing Slayer patrol found you and brought you to the Academy. Knowing that if you found out about their true fate, you might... Well... we didn't know. So we hid the truth." He said. "So they're dead." Said Drace in disbelief. "I'm afraid so. They have been for the entire time you have been with us. We know that you are devoted to our cause now. So there is no reason to hide it any longer. We're sorry." He said. "So they didn't die valiantly? Like soldiers? Like heroes?" Asked Drace. "They died protecting you." He said. "As you say sir." Said Drace. "Dismissed Recruit..." ... ;Time skip - 2 hours; As Drace and another Recruit named James were on the sparring mat, they circled each other. "Hey Drace, I heard your parents were torn apart by Demons! What's that like?" He taunted. Did the kid really know? Unlikely. It most likely just a meaningless taunt. But Drace didn't see it that way. He saw red... ;3 minutes later; "Dude I give up stop! Ah! Dra- Ah!" Exclaimed the kid, when Drace could see properly again he was on top of the kid, smashing his face with a fist. Not stopping. It felt good. "Recruit! Stop this instant!" Yelled the combat instructor. In response, Drace raised the kids head high and smashed his head into the mat, hard. "Yes sir." He breathed. Blood on his hands. They carried the kid out on a stretcher. Drace just sat there in the sparring arena... Thinking about what he did... And how he enjoyed it. "Well Recruit, thanks to you, Recruit James is dead. Now, I do not know what this means for your future bu-" Started the drill instructor, suddenly a voice chimed in. "May I see the boy in my office?" "Lieutenant Rhode? Of course ma'am!" He exclaimed. Drace followed Rhode into her office at the side of the sparring arena, she had a window that looked right in so she must have seen everything. He was amazed by her. Barely 23 while he was but 17 and she was already a respected Lieutenant in the Slayers. She was beautiful... They sat down in her office. "So. What happened?" She asked. "Well I just recently found out the truth about my parents. He taunted me about it and I just saw red. When I woke up, he was lying bloody." Responded Drace. "I see." She said. "So... What? Am I expelled? In detention?" He asked. "No. Far from it. It is a shame that a recruit is dead, yes. But what is even better is what came out of it: A Slayer has been born. You have what we call the 'bloodlust'. You revel in death. It is a Slayer trait. It is what we have been looking for." She exclaimed. "Is it ma'am?" He asked. "I have seen the way you behave to the other recruits. That is exactly right. Look out for yourself until you become a Slayer, then rely on your fellow Slayers. You are true Slayer material. I would like to train you personally to become one under my command." She said. After that, Drace was fast tracked to the top under the guidance of Commander Rhode. When graduation came. He was picked to become a Slayer. All others had to do another year of training... During that year he fell in love with Rhode. But did she with him? Who knows? ;Present day; "There." I said. I had also explained to them who Drace Reynfaire was during the story. "So you - he, killed that other child needlessly?" Asked Twilight. "Yes." I said. "It is amazing that, from that, you came out." Said Princess Luna, amazed. "I know. I still don't know what changed me." I shrugged. "Master is one of the best people, or ponies in the world. How he came from that monster is a question to everyone who comes across him now who used to know him." Added Creature. Suddenly a scroll appeared before Princess Celestia, she gasped in surprise but opened it. "Well... You're in luck, your vacation seems to have ended..." Mumbled Princess Celestia. "Awesome!" I exclaimed. "Your tickets for the boat to Zebrica when you wish to leave." She said and passed them to me.